


Sweet Memories

by AtropaAzraelle (Polyoxyethylene)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Baking, Fade to Black, Flirting, Gladnis Week, M/M, canon scene continued
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 07:01:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12930006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polyoxyethylene/pseuds/AtropaAzraelle
Summary: Gladnis Week Day 3 Prompt: Brotherhood EraIn Lestallum Gladio watches Ignis bake something he's seen him make many times before.





	Sweet Memories

“Oh, that again.”

Gladio leaned on the doorframe, his arms crossed as he peered at Ignis's workstation in the tiny hotel room kitchen. Only Gladio could look so carelessly casual looming in a doorway. Only Gladio, Ignis thought, would be able to recognise what he was preparing before it had taken shape.

“Yes,” Ignis answered, “but with bananas this time.” He turned to the small oven, which had been blessedly clean, certainly compared to some of the alternatives he'd encountered along the way, and set the temperature dials. He dropped to his knees in front of the oven as he turned it on.

Gladio shifted slightly in the doorway. Ignis could never be sure if the man was intending to flex, or if the persistent display of rippling musculature was entirely unconscious with him, especially these days. “You sure like baking, huh?” Gladio asked. “How come?”

Ignis adjusted the temperature dial, happy the oven appeared to be as functional as it was clean. “Well,” he began, “the looks on your faces, for one thing.” He glanced up, finding himself being simultaneously grinned at and loomed over by someone that used the Archeaon as an aesthetic goal for his personal fitness. “I also find it therapeutic,” he admitted. “Performing a simple task with clear instructions can be quite relaxing.”

“I know some other ways you could relax,” Gladio said, fixing Ignis with a grin that showed too many teeth, and was entirely too suggestive.

Ignis stared at him for a moment before he climbed back to his feet. “You're incorrigible,” he replied.

Gladio left the safety of the doorway, slipping in close behind Ignis and sliding a hand across the small of his back. “You and I both know you're going to have to let that pastry chill for an hour once you've made it,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble that came from close against Ignis's ear.

“Once I've made it,” Ignis pointed out, eyeing Gladio out of the corner of his glasses.

Lips brushed the edge of Ignis's ear, and Gladio pressed in, until Ignis could feel hips brushing against his backside. “Want some help?”

Ignis considered his options. He could tell Gladio to back off, that his help wasn't needed, and it would be obeyed in an instant. Or he could let the man in, let him into Ignis's sacred space, and maybe they would be able to make use of some of the waiting time on the recipe. “It would be a pity to waste the room, while we have it to ourselves,” he murmured aloud.

A kiss landed on his neck, stubble brushing over his delicate skin, and Ignis closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation for a moment. “So what do you want me to do?” Gladio asked, as he settled his hands on Ignis's hips and trailed his mouth up towards Ignis's jaw.

Ignis inhaled, feeling a shiver build in his spine which he unsuccessfully suppressed. Gladio's hands were warm, and inviting, and his presence was immediate and beckoned to parts of Ignis's body he could never fully control. “You can stew the fruit,” he answered, knowing that was not the task Gladio had been angling for, “since your hands are much too warm to be touching the pastry.”

He felt Gladio freeze for a moment, and Ignis turned so he could view the man over his shoulder. “Is that a problem?” he asked, innocently.

“You're a tease,” Gladio replied.

Ignis hummed his agreement. “If you do a sufficiently capable job, there might be a reward in it for you.”

Gladio leaned in and pressed a swift, chaste kiss to Ignis's mouth. “Now you're talking,” he answered.

Ignis almost missed the sensation of Gladio's hands on him, and the body pressed to his back as Gladio retreated towards the oven, but the warmth of Gladio's touch was replaced with a internal warmth that built as Gladio carefully followed every instruction he was given. “First, we need to caramelise the sugar,” he said, as he began sifting flour. “Don't put the heat up too high,” he advised, “and keep a close watch on it. Stir it gently to stop it sticking to the pan.”

“Gotcha,” Gladio replied, turning the heat on the burner down a little and starting to stir the contents slowly.

Ignis tossed a liberal pinch of salt into the sifted flour and busied himself with cutting the butter into small pieces and adding them to the bowl. He set to work cutting the butter into the flour, and was halfway through when the sweet smell of cooking sugar began to permeate the air. Gladio was still attentively stirring the sugar, and Ignis let himself admire the scene for a moment, taking in the concentration on Gladio's face, the way he was wholly focused on the task Ignis had asked of him, before he leaned over and did a visual check of Gladio's progress. “Give it another minute,” he said, “and then add the berries, not the raspberries; the others, but be careful when you stir; I don't want them to break up.”

Gladio looked at him, warm eyes alive with whatever thoughts were going on beneath the surface, and answered, “Right.”

The pastry was starting to resemble breadcrumbs when Gladio spoke up, his attention still firmly on the pan of gently stewing berries and sugar. “It is kinda relaxing.”

Ignis smiled, flashing Gladio a sidelong glance. “Perhaps we'll make a culinarian of you yet.”

The noise Gladio made in response could only be described as 'unwilling hesitation'. “I wouldn't go that far,” he said. “I'm all right following instructions, but I couldn't do what you do.”

“Come now,” Ignis replied, “it's nothing special.”

“Iggy,” Gladio insisted, “I've seen you just look at what someone else is eating and figure out how to make it.”

“All that requires,” Ignis pressed back, “is a refined palate, and a keen sense of smell.” His breadcrumbs were starting to stick together. A little more, and they'd be the wet sand consistency he required. He glanced over at Gladio's pan of berries again, and gave a nod. “You can add the raspberries now.”

Gladio did as he was told, picking up the bowl of raspberries and scattering them into the pan before he resumed his gentle stirring. “Well,” he said, “it looks pretty special from where I'm standing.”

“You're biased,” Ignis told him, finally happy enough with his pastry dough to add a little cold water and begin kneading.

“Yup,” Gladio agreed, happily. “This about done?” he asked, picking the pan off the heat to tilt towards Ignis so he could see without abandoning his pastry.

Ignis was, quietly, impressed. Gladio had witnessed him make this pastry enough times, of course, but he'd never thought he'd paid that much attention as to be able to judge when the fruit was done for himself. As it was, he looked, and gave an approving nod. “Yes,” he said, “now it needs to cool.”

Ignis was again struck by how much attention Gladio must have paid in the past as he turned the heat off and strained the fruit. Ignis had never noticed Gladio watching before; he was usually firmly in his baking headspace by this point, and all the distractions of the world, Gladio included, fell to the periphery of his attention. Seemingly, Gladio had been watching attentively from the sidelines at least once.

The thought sent a heat through his face that he tried to ignore, and he focused his attention on the pastry, which was steadily reaching the desired smooth consistency. He patted it into shape as Gladio even cleaned up after them both, keeping a wide berth around Ignis so as not to disturb him as he brushed spilled flour into his hand from the countertop. When he was happy with the pastry, Ignis turned to retrieve some plastic wrap, and then carefully wrapped the dough and put it in the fridge.

“And that's that,” he said, after he'd washed his hands and removed his apron, “for the next hour, at least.”

Gladio smiled down at him. The man was like a shark, or a coeurl; something big and predatory, and yet there was a softness in those bright eyes that stoked the building warmth in Ignis's chest. Gladio could be scary, intimidating, threatening, but only if you didn't know him. Only if you didn't know the man read voraciously, and loved his little sister, and played video games with Noct and Prompto, only if you didn't know how gentle his hands could be. “So did I do well enough for that reward?” he asked.

“I'd say you did,” Ignis agreed, walking towards Gladio and pressing both hands flat against the swell of his chest. He didn't have to push to urge Gladio to take a step backwards; Gladio knew, and complied, letting Ignis steer him towards the bed, “I just hope an hour is long enough.”

Gladio stopped when the backs of his legs made contact with the bed and settled his hands around Ignis's waist, holding him firmly, gently, and irresistibly. “Maybe you should make it two, just to be sure they're cool enough,” he suggested, with a bright smile.

Ignis murmured as he leaned up. “We'll see,” he said, finding Gladio's mouth with his own and kissing him softly. “You might have to help me with the second part, too, just to make sure they're ready in time.”

“I can do that,” Gladio agreed.

Ignis gave a gentle push, and Gladio sat down slowly on the bed, his hands staying on Ignis's waist. They slipped to his back as Ignis leant over and let himself get lost in the sensation of Gladio's tongue and fingers.

**Author's Note:**

> Recipe for Memory Lane Pastries taken from [The Unofficial FFXV Community Cookbook](https://twitter.com/CookingWithIggy).
> 
> Inspiration from [Hanatsuki89's artwork on tumblr](http://hanatsuki89.tumblr.com/post/167283008783/this-might-have-been-inspired-by-something-i-said). I love that art, not just because it's true, but because I'm not the only one that watched that scene and saw two guys encouraging their other friends to go off and not hurry back while they take some private time in a hotel room.
> 
> And also thanks to WaywardMelody, because I had been struggling with this day's prompts until we got talking about this scene.
> 
> Feel free to come and find me on tumblr at [AtropaAzraelle](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/atropaazraelle).


End file.
